IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW LEARNING OUTCOME-BASED UNDERGRADUATE - PDF document

28 th Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience February 6 th- 10 th , 2009: Orlando, Florida CI 198 - Concurrent Session: Assessed Institutional Initiative 4:15-5:15 p.m., Monday, February 9th IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW LEARNING OUTCOME-BASED UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM: THE ROLE OF THE FIRST-YEAR INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS COURSE John R. Phillips, Ph.D. jrp@uwindsor.ca Diana Kao, Ph.D. kao@uwindsor.ca Odette School of Business University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario, Canada 1

ABSTRACT We discuss the 2007 introduction of a newly designed learning outcome-based undergraduate curriculum at the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor. In particular, we address the role of the first-year Introduction to Business course developed as the entry-level prerequisite for the new curriculum. The objectives of the course, in terms of the first-year learning experience, are: 1) to ease first-year business students into the business curriculum from both knowledge and skills perspectives; and 2) to shape the attitudes of first-year business students to enable them to take personal responsibility for their own learning success. 2

IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW LEARNING OUTCOME-BASED UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM The Odette School of Business at the University of Windsor introduced a learning outcome- based undergraduate curriculum in the Fall semester of 2007. The new undergraduate Business curriculum was designed following eight fundamental principles (Odette Report, 2007). Principle #1: Mission Driven – The curriculum should be consistent with the Odette School of Business Mission, Vision, and Values Statements. Principle #2: Goal Driven – The curriculum should be consistent with the goals of the Odette School of Business. Principle #3: Outcome Focused – The curriculum should contribute to the development of those characteristics felt to be necessary for the success of an Odette School of Business graduate. These characteristics must be consistent with the University of Windsor’s “Characteristics of the Windsor Graduate”. Principle #4: Learning-Centred – The curriculum should encourage the learner to take greater responsibility for his/her learning, both before and after graduation. Principle #5: AACSB Standards – The curriculum should be consistent with the AACSB curriculum standards. Principle #6: Internationalization – The curriculum should include discussion of topics relating to business in a global environment. Principle #7: Stakeholders – The curriculum should be developed through active and open consultation with all stakeholders: students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the business community. Principle #8: Process Evaluation – The curriculum review process should be designed and conducted so that its effectiveness in achieving the seven principles stated above can be assessed continuously. In its design, the new curriculum takes into consideration 1) the objectives and outcomes of the program and its courses, 2) characteristics of the students who will enrol in the programs, 3) a teaching philosophy based on the objectives and outcomes of the program, 4) appropriate teaching methods for each course, and 5) material to be taught in each course. During the program review and curriculum redesign process, the Odette School of Business 3

developed a learning philosophy focused on how students learn best. Based on the program objectives and outcomes, the Odette School of Business believes that students learn best from example and application, personal interaction, experiential learning, and the integration of concepts and techniques. To encourage this form of learning, instructors in the Odette School of Business will utilize an appropriate mix of course design and teaching and evaluation methods, including cases and guided discussion, individual and group projects, problem-based learning, simulations and role playing, etc., to provide students with opportunities to address real-world questions that do not necessarily have a correct answer. These techniques will stress real-world examples and applications that illustrate, reinforce, and integrate concepts from multiple business functions, in an environment that encourages critical thinking, appropriate communication, respect for other individuals, and an appreciation for life- long learning. During the review of the previous business curriculum the following major concern was expressed: Students entering the Business program do not know what a business is, how business interacts with the community and the economy, or what the functional areas of a business are or do. In the previous curriculum, undergraduate business students were introduced to specific functional areas of business without first being exposed to the business world and its issues. As a result, a first-year, first-semester Introduction to Business course was introduced into the new curriculum. The objective of the course is to provide entering students with a first look at business, focusing on the external environments in which business operates and the issues that these environments create. The purpose of this first course is to introduce and superficially address issues encountered in business (e.g., government and legal issues, ethical issues, international issues, etc.). More detailed discussion of these issues follows in later courses. As well, this course addresses how to search for, and find, information about topics that impact a business and the environments in which it operates. Most importantly, this course helps new business students shape their attitudes to enable them to take 4

responsibility for their own learning success. Successful completion of Introduction to Business is a prerequisite for all second-year required Business courses. THE ROLE OF THE FIRST-YEAR INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS COURSE The main offering of the Introduction to Business course 04-75-100 is scheduled during the first semester, first year of the undergraduate business curriculum. The course is the entry-level prerequisite for all other business courses and thus students must successfully complete the course prior to advancing further in their respective business programs. Since its inception in the Fall 2007 semester, through the completion of the Fall 2008 semester, the course has been offered to 14 sections (capacity 100 students) on the main University of Windsor campus and to one section (capacity 40 students) at the remote Lambton College campus. Two sections (capacities 100 and 50 students) are currently on offer at the main campus during the Winter 2009 semester. Students who enroll in the course are mainly from the core business program (est. 70%); others are students having a program requirement, e.g., engineering, and students seeking a potentially useful elective (est. 30%). The main objectives of the course, in terms of the first-year business student learning experience, are: 1) to ease first-year business students into the business curriculum from both knowledge and skills perspectives; and 2) to shape the attitudes of first-year business students to enable them to take responsibility for their own learning success. The course is designed to best help students develop an understanding of their future places, as entry-level managers, in business and other forms of organizations. The pedagogical approach is holistic from six perspectives. First, learning objectives are established across all of knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs). Second, the course is highly structured and is standardized across all sections. Third, a variety of teaching and assessment methods is applied. Fourth, the course spans a wide range of business subject matter. Fifth, the 5